Dance Performances: Art or Entertainment?
innovative. The museum may be looking for a lecture-demonstration with historical perspective. The ethnic group wants entertainment, but it's a different type of entertainment than what a birthday party attended by Americans would expect.
When planning your performance, think about why this particular audience wants a dancer, and then plan the content of your show accordingly. If the occasion is an American birthday party, then you'll want to focus on the guest of honor: place a silly-looking turban on his head, make him get up to dance with you, etc. But if it's an Arabic wedding, you should choose happy Arabic music such as "Enta Omri" ("You Are My Life") and consider performing the traditional Egyptian candelabrum dance.
Similarly, if you've been invited to perform a liturgical dance in some sort of worship service, you should probably leave the beads and sequins at home, and consider using appropriate religious music.
If you've been invited to appear in a performing arts showcase, this may be a good opportunity to present your experimental work that seeks to push the boundaries, challenge the audience's assumptions, and explore new horizons.
There's no shame in performing for your own reasons, as long as you consider the needs of the audience in addition to fulfilling your own needs. If you'll be performing at an event with many small children present, that is not the right time to validate your own sexuality with seductive come-hither behavior. But you might show off your special skill at balancing a sword on your head with a mischievous "look what I can do" attitude. And of course it's okay to enjoy being the center of attention as long as you give back the kind of entertainment they're looking for in return.
Why Do You Perform Publicly?
This article is part of the Suite101 "Middle Eastern Dance" topic area. For the other Suite101 articles, discussion forums, and opinion polls related to Middle
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